Bible Dictionary

Esau

Hairy. Elder son of Isaac and twin brother of Jacob. The two brothers were rivals from their birth and became the ancestors of rival nations, the Israelites and Edomites. Esau sold to Jacob his birthright (Gen. 25:33), by which he lost both the leadership of the tribe and also the covenant blessing (Gen. 27:28–29, 36; Heb. 12:16–17). He married against the wishes of his parents (Gen. 26:34–35; see also 28:9; 36:2) and settled in Mount Seir. He was living there on Jacob’s return from Padan-aram (Gen. 32:3–32; 35:1, 29). By that time he saw clearly that the covenant blessing and the land of Canaan would not be his, and the brothers separated in friendly fashion. Of Esau’s subsequent history nothing is known. For his descendants, see Edom.